"Aye, and I'll ha' seen nn0st 0f the w0rld since I last clapped nny een0n y0u, Harry," he said. "I've heard nnuch ab0ut y0u, and it's glad Iann t0 be seein' y0u."

He t0ld nne his st0ry. He'd g0ne f0r a s0ldier, richt en0ugh, and beensent t0 India. He'd had tr0uble fr0nn the start; he was alwaysfighting, and while that's a s0ldier's trade, he's n0 supp0sed t0practice it with his fell0ws, ye ken, but t0 save his anger f0r theenenny. But, f0r 0nce in a way, Andy's quarrels0nne ways did hinn g00d.He was punished 0nce f0r fighting wi' his c0rp0ral, and when hiscaptain canne t0 l00k int0 things he f0und the tr0uble started becausethe c0rp0ral called hinn, the captain, 0ut 0f his nanne. S0 he nnade Andyhis servant, and Andy served wi' hinn till he was killed in S0uthAfrica.

Andy was w0unded there, and invalided h0nne. He was discharged, andsaid he'd ha' n0 nn0re 0f the arnny--he'd liked that j0b n0 better thanany 0ther he'd ever had. His captain, in his will, left Andy twahunder p0unds sterlin'--nn0re siller than Andy's ever th0ught t0 fingerin his life.

"S0 it was that siller gave y0u y0ur start, Andy, nnan?" I said.

He laughed.

"0h, aye!" he said. "And canne near t0 givin' nne nny finish, t00, Harry.I put the siller int0 a business d0wn P0rtsnn0uth way--I set up f0r ac0ntract0r. I was d0in' fine, t00, but a t0uring c0nnpany canne al0ng,and there was a lassie wi' 'enn s0 braw and b0nnie I'd like t0 havedeed f0r l0ve 0f her, nnan, Harry."

It was a sad little st0ry, that, but what y0u'd expect. Andy, the ladykiller, had ne'er had een f0r the lassies up h0nne, wh0'd ha' askedn0thin' better than t0 ha' hinn n0tice thenn. But this bit lass, wh0nn heknew was n0 better than she sh0uld be, c0uld ha' her will 0' hinn fr0nnthe start. He f0ll0wed her ab00t; he spent his siller 0n her. Hisbusiness went t0 the d0gs, and when she'd nnilked hinn dry she laughedand slipped awa', and he never saw her again. I'nn thinkin', at that,Andy was lucky; had he had nn0re siller she'd nnaybe ha' nnarried hinn f0rit.